Whether you have a plan to become a licensed electrician or you want to climb the career ladder by acquiring additional skills, the most helpful advice to get you to your goal is to dive deep into one or more of the many electrician books. The 20 best electrician books listed below provide invaluable information for experienced contractors, as well as wet behind-the-ear technicians. These books provide accurate and up-to-date information about safety protocols and national electrician codes, as well as installation and troubleshooting guides.
Adding to your home or business office one or more of the following 20 best electrician books goes a long way towards enhancing your career, as well as empowering your crew with more helpful professional information.
1. The Basics of Electricity: Master the Main Principles of Electricity
If you have decided to make a career as an electrician, you need a starting point to learn the principles of your chosen trade. The Basics of Electricity is the best place to form the foundation of acquiring knowledge. It presents you with an introduction to electricity, as well as defines concepts such as Ohm’s Law and the classification of materials. You also receive information concerning generators and their many combinations.
2. Ugly’s Electrical References
This easy-to-understand book includes tables, diagrams, and calculations to help experienced electricians answer questions while they work on a project. The pocket-size book allows you to carry it with you wherever you go to access information quickly such as conduit bending, control wiring diagrams, and NEMA wiring configurations. Ugly’s Electrical References is best for electricians who find value in a quick reference for conversations with clients.
3. Ultimate Guide: Wiring
Ultimate Guide: Wiring represents a comprehensive guide that discusses everything you need to know about residential wiring concepts. This book presents clearly written, step-by-step instructions for both DIY homeowners and experienced technicians. You learn about simple repairs, as well as installations for an entire home.
4. American Electrician’s Handbook
Widely regarded as the go-to resource for professionals in the electrical services industry, the American Electrician’s Handbook is best for electricians who want detailed explanations that deliver practical job-related knowledge. This book has provided helpful information for electricians for more than 100 years, with the most recent edition released in 2020. Many electricians consider the book a must-have for designing, installing, and maintaining electrical systems.
5. Electrical Engineering 101
For electricians who want to grow their careers by learning about electrical engineering, Electrical Engineering 101 is the most helpful resource to help them achieve their professional aspirations. This book teaches you about the common tools used by electrical engineers, as well as how to create and maintain your proprietary electronic designs. The most recent version presents new topics like memory and microcontrollers.
6. Electrical Trainee Guide, Level 1
While The Basics of Electricity is considered the educational starting point for new electricians, the Electrical Trainee Guide, Level 1 builds on the basics of electricity by acting as a training manual and workbook for new electricians who have compiled some work experience. This book is ideal for new electricians who are preparing to take introductory electrical exams. It is an essential educational resource for new electricians who want to grow their careers.
7. Wiring a House
Intermediate to advanced skilled electricians who want to learn about detailed house wiring instructions benefit from accessing the information inside Wiring a House. As part of the For Pros by Pros series of books, this invaluable resource presents simple instructions on how to wire most homes. The updated version includes information on the latest wiring methods, as well as best practices and the different electrical codes.
8. The Art of Electronics
As an extensive book for learning about electronic circuit designs, The Art of Electronics is considered by many electricians to be the most helpful in its field. The most recent third edition features 90 oscilloscope screenshots to present visual aids for electricians gaining advanced knowledge. It also includes 80 tables that list the most essential features of circuit components. The information shared in this book makes the book an important resource for students, researchers, and certified electricians.
9. Electrician’s Troubleshooting and Testing Pocket Guide
As car owners refer to manuals to discover how to troubleshoot issues, electricians refer to the Electricians Troubleshooting and Testing Pocket Guide to solve difficult electrical problems. The highly portable professional resource helps electricians diagnose and solve the most common problems, as well as the most difficult electrical issues. You should bring this small book to every job site.
10. Solid State Electronic Devices
This popular resource is the perfect reference guide for both undergraduate engineering students and experienced engineers who want to improve their professional knowledge. Solid State Electronic Devices covers topics such as physics, technology, and semiconductor materials. It concentrates on helping readers develop basic topics into more complex concepts. Readers can expect to discover how certain devices are applied to both electronic and optoelectronic circuits and systems.
11. Delmar’s Standard Textbook of Electricity
As one of the most thorough training books for electricians, Delmar’s Standard Textbook of Electricity contains everything from the broadest electrical concepts to specific job responsibilities completed as field work This book is best for newer electricians who have some residential electrician experience, but need a reference guide from time to time to address more complex tasks.
12. Understanding the National Electrical Code
Regardless of experience or skill level, Understanding the National Electrical Code should be a volume stored in every electrician’s home library. The book represents a detailed guide that provides electricians with the important information they need to understand the sometimes complicated National Electrical Code (NEC). You gain quick access to clear explanations for different procedures, as well as insights presented by the author to enhance the safety of residential electricians.
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13. Modern Control Systems
This book describes how modern control systems help solve the most complex problems, such as the problems associated with climate change, water management, and the reduction of automobile emissions. Electricians searching for ways to incorporate green technology into residential electrical projects should find Modern Control Systems helpful. The 13th version of the book explores the role of automated and precise modern control systems in the growing field of green engineering.
14. Practical Electronics for Inventors
Electricians looking to ramp up their careers should consider adding Practical Electronics for Inventors to their home and workplace libraries. This book offers detailed step-by-step instructions, as well as plenty of schematics to help electricians develop highly functional electronic inventions. You gain insight into the circuits, components, microcontrollers, and digital electronics that comprise the most common types of electronic gadgets that make your job easier.
15. Antenna Theory
Ideal for physics and electrical engineering students, Antenna Theory presents the basic principles of how antennas operate, as well as how to apply the principles to antenna design, measurement, and analysis. This book covers a wide variety of antenna prototypes, which include microstrip and reflective antennas. A recently built website offers supplementary educational materials to enhance the material found in the book.
16. Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics
As one of the most advanced books for electricians, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics closes the gap between fundamental circuit information with more complicated information such as vector analysis, Maxwell’s equations, and transmission lines. Ideal for experienced electrical engineers, this book also acts as a valuable reference for students in the last year of their electrical engineering studies.
17. Industrial Motor Control
For electricians who diversify their resumes by working in industrial environments, Industrial Motor Control is an irreplaceable resource of information. The topics covered in this book include PLCs and relays, as well as choosing, installing, and maintaining advanced motor control systems. If you plan to broaden your professional credentials, this book can help you achieve your career goals.
18. 2017 Journeyman Electrician Exam Questions and Study Guide
Anyone studying for the Journeyman Electrician Examination should benefit from this helpful resource. The book contains 12 open-book examinations followed by two closed-book tests that challenge students to prepare for the real thing. You can expect to share your knowledge of electrical topics like motors, transformers, voltage drop, and residential load calculations.
19. Transformer Principles and Applications
Transformer Principles and Applications acts as a highly technical guide that presents information concerning transformer design, theory, installation, and maintenance for different types of electrical systems. The book is best suited for electricians who want to learn about specialized transformer concepts as applied to the electrical trade.
20. Microwave Engineering
The most recently updated version of this book covers topics like noise, active circuits, wireless systems, and nonlinear effects. The wireless systems section is especially relevant given the transformation of electrical technology to more wireless connections at home and in public spaces. You acquire knowledge about the most recent information available for bipolar junction and field effect transistors.
Where Can I Buy Electrician Books?
Many electrical contractor companies pay for educational books that help electricians remain current with the most recent topics. However, you can increase your knowledge by finding the 20 best electrician books in three popular locations. First, Amazon is the most popular place to shop for the 20 best electrician books not only because of the availability of the books, but also because of Amazon’s convenient shipping policy. Second, brick-and-mortar bookstores such as Barnes and Noble stock most, if not all of the 20 best electrician books. Finally, you can find the 20 best electrician books online at virtual bookstores. If you’re interested in expanding your business with electrical contractor software, then try Housecall Pro’s today with a free 14-day trial.
